Brows are an essential feature of a face. Brows play a significant role in informing expressions on our faces. For example, arched brows make us look surprised, and drooping brows make us look sad or old. Generally speaking, male eyebrows possess a straighter shape, whereas female eyebrows are more arched. Males have lower eyebrows than females.
So along with the forehead and upper eyelids, our brows define the emotion on our face. And it's not a surprise that when the brow's position, definition or shape is changed, the whole expression on the face changes.
So what do ideal brows look like?
Aesthetically speaking, a perfect brow is as shown below:
The lateral end of our brows is identified as shown in the image:
- by drawing a line from the head of the brow (B) to the ala of the nose (A) and,
- from the ala of the nose (A) to the tail of the brow (C).
However, several factors affect the actual shape, size and position of our brows, ranging from ethnicity, age, gender, the overall structure of the face etc. Additionally, changes can happen to our brows due to ageing, injury, surgery, trauma, or any other procedure done in the past.
What happens when we age?
As we age, brows descend because of the atrophy of the fat which holds the brow in place. Anatomically, the brow is held in place medially and laterally. Medially it is held in place with a forehead muscle which integrates with the brow's skin. But the lateral 1/3rd of the brow is a free laying structure anchored to the underlying bone by just a fat pad called the "ROOF". With ageing, or even in cases of injury or surgical procedures, this ROOF can get deflated or damaged. This causes the lateral end of the brow to come down. Additionally, this results in what is knowns as pseudo dermatochalasis, i.e., extra skin on the upper eyelid or baggy lids. This is called pseudo- dermatochalasis because there isn't an actual excess of skin on the upper eyelid. Still, it looks like hooding because the brow has come down.
How do we treat droopy eyebrows?
When the brow comes down, surgical or non-surgical methods are used to reposition the brow based on the degree of descent. There are two main methods:
- Brow lift - where we lift it up, using different techniques.
- Browpexy- where we just anchor the brow where it is. We don't lift it. We just support the brow in its current position.
The non-surgical methods include threads, botox and fillers.
The moment the brow is put into its correct position, the face's whole expression changes because it changes the dynamic with the forehead, the upper eyelid, and the brow itself.
What else can be done to improve the brows?
Sometimes, one may have a perfectly shaped and positioned brow but not have enough volume. So we can enhance the look by using procedures such as micro-pigmentation, semi-permanent, or permanent makeup or brow serums, increasing brow hair growth.
Brows/Forehead and Eyelids- the trifecta!
Finally, while brows can be enhanced in isolation, the real magic happens when you look at the forehead, eyebrows and upper eyelids in totality as one unit. Because brows and lids work as an agonist and antagonistic muscles. For example, sometimes, it may not only be the brow that needs some help but also the forehead that has started to droop. Similarly, a see-saw effect could happen between the brow and the eyelid. If the brow is higher on one side, the lid on that side will be low and vice versa.
As they say, "Your eyebrows introduce you before you speak!". So dont neglect this amazing part of your face and contact your nearest oculoplasty surgeon to see how you can take care of them better!
Co-founded by Dr Shubhra Goel, a prominent, multiple award-winning, dually certified oculoplastic surgeon with decades of experience worldwide, Clinica Fai (www.clinicafai.com) is a super-specialist medical clinic that provides eye and face corrective treatments with particular focus on correction of dark circles, baggy/puffy eyelids & previous treatments gone wrong. Dr Shubhra Goel has been trained under celebrity oculofacial plastic surgeon Dr Cynthia Boxrud from LA and superstar dermatologist Dr Zein Obagi from Beverly Hills.